Warning: the following contains spoilers for School Spirits season 2 finale.

School Spirits' Jess Gabor, who plays Janet, explains why her character chooses not to cross over in the season 2 finale. The supernatural drama series sees Maddie (Peyton List) being trapped in the Split River High afterlife after Janet hijacked her body and ventured outside the school. After much soul-searching, Janet returns to Split River High and offers Maddie her body back. With the truth surfacing about her death, Janet unlocks the exit by taking power over her scar. However, she chooses to stay rather than cross over.

In an interview with The Wrap, Gabor talks about Janet's decision to stay. She explains how the time Janet spent with Maddie's friends has changed her for the better and sheds light on the toxic dynamics she has with Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman). While Janet has made peace with what happened to her, the actor also points out how her character's core identity as a scientist comes into play in her decision-making after realizing there might be more going on. Gabor stresses that Janet made "a bold decision" to help her friends. Check out what she said below:

Janet starts to finally empathize with Maddie by seeing her through her friends. When she’s in the cabin with all of Maddie’s friends, who clearly love Maddie enough to kidnap her, Janet doesn’t know what that’s like to have friends that have your back or what it’s like to trust somebody again. The person that she relied on most in this world, Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman), abused her and completely took advantage of her and her innocence.

She realizes what she’s doing is not the right way to do it and maybe there’s another way. Maybe there’s a second chance at a second life someplace else, but it can’t be through stealing Maddie’s body.

She’s a scientist. She wants answers. She wants to figure things out. Even though her door is open and she has accepted her trauma and has accepted what happened to her, that doesn’t mean that she can help everybody else get out as well. She realizes that maybe there’s more to life than what she thought. Maybe it’s not all just black and white. She has to decide, “Am I in or am I out?” And she makes this really bold choice to go in the gray area and help these newfound friends figure out how they can get out too.

What This Means For Janet In School Spirits

Janet's Unfinished Business Revealed

Gabor's comments offer some clarity on Janet's character arc. In the show, Janet teases that she has "unfinished business" as she determines to close the exit door for now. It had also previously been revealed that Janet might know more about a potential threat rising in Split River. While the season 2 finale doesn't have the answers to these questions, Gabor's comments reveal that Janet's decision to stay at the end of season 2 is motivated by her desire to unravel the mystery and help her friends, which also means that the character has truly turned over a new leaf.

In a separate interview, showrunner Oliver Goldstick revealed that School Spirits season 2 nearly had a different ending, where Janet would walk into her exit. However, choosing to stay shows that Janet has become her own person, who has the power to help others and choose how she'll make a change, even in the afterlife. The twist is an empowering moment in the character's arc, and a redemptive one as well.

Our Take On Janet's Decision In School Spirits Season 2

Janet Is Taking Control Of Her Life

In School Spirits season 1, Janet is the main antagonist who kidnapped Maddie's body for her selfish plan. However, season 2 sheds light on her character and sees the innocence and kindness in the aspiring scientist who tragically died in a lab explosion before her life could truly begin. Janet's backstory serves as a reminder of her progress. After learning Mr. Martin was the one who caused her death in the first place. Janet realized that she didn't deserve to be dead, which brought forth an exit out of her scar and into a better place.

Janet's decision to stay is tied to the bigger mystery that has yet to unfold in the show. While School Spirits season 3 has yet to be confirmed, going forward, we can expect Janet to be in her power and make her own decisions instead of being controlled and monitored by Mr. Martin. It's also likely that she might be taking over Maddie's leadership role in the Split River High afterlife.

Source: The Wrap